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How to Move Photos, Contacts, and WhatsApp Data from Android to iPhone 17

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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The most complete supported route is Apple’s free Move to iOS app, run while the iPhone 17 is still on its initial setup screens. It can bring over contacts, camera photos and videos, albums, messages, files, calendars, settings, and eligible WhatsApp data. Keep both phones powered and on the same Wi-Fi, and do not erase the Android phone until you have checked the imported data.

What you need before starting

Move to iOS is Apple’s official Android-to-iPhone transfer tool and does not require a paid migration utility. The iPhone 17 must be new or factory-reset for the transfer screen to appear. If you have already completed setup, follow the reset procedure later in this guide rather than trying to start Move to iOS from the Home Screen.

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  • An Android phone running Android 5 (Lollipop, SDK 21) or later.
  • An iPhone 17 running iOS 15.5 or later for WhatsApp migration.
  • The latest available versions of WhatsApp on both phones.
  • The same phone number available for WhatsApp on Android and iPhone.
  • Both phones connected to power. Keep them near each other and connected to the same Wi-Fi network. WhatsApp also allows the Android phone to use the iPhone’s hotspot.
  • Enough free storage on the iPhone for the selected photos, videos, messages and other categories.
  • Move to iOS installed from Google Play on the Android phone.

A USB-C cable is optional. If you use one, it must support data transfer; a cable designed only for charging will not improve or enable the migration. The wireless method is the normal path.

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What Move to iOS can transfer

Apple lists these categories for its setup transfer:

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  • Contacts
  • Message history and SMS messages
  • Camera photos and videos
  • Photo albums
  • Files and folders
  • Accessibility and display settings
  • Web bookmarks
  • Mail accounts
  • WhatsApp messages and media
  • Voice Memos
  • Call history
  • Calendars

The transfer does not reproduce every Android app as an iPhone app. Apps with an iOS version may be matched for download, but availability, saved logins, local app data and subscriptions depend on each app and its developer. Plan to download remaining apps from the App Store and sign in again where required.

Move photos and contacts during iPhone 17 setup

1. Prepare the Android phone

  1. Charge both phones or connect them to power.
  2. Turn on Wi-Fi on the Android phone and connect it to the network you intend to use for the transfer.
  3. Install Move to iOS from Google Play. Update WhatsApp on Android before beginning.
  4. Close large downloads, VPN connections and battery-saving modes that could interrupt the process. Leave the Android phone unlocked when the app asks for it.

2. Reach the Android transfer screen on the iPhone

  1. Turn on the new or factory-reset iPhone 17 and follow the language, region and network prompts.
  2. At the setup screen titled Transfer Your Apps & Data, choose From Android. The wording can vary slightly with the iOS release, but it is the Android migration option.
  3. Open Move to iOS on Android, read the permissions, and tap Continue.

3. Pair the phones with the one-time code

  1. Tap Continue on the iPhone’s Android transfer screen to display a one-time code.
  2. Enter that code in Move to iOS on the Android phone.
  3. When Android asks to join a temporary Wi-Fi network created by the iPhone, allow it. Do not switch to another network while the transfer is being prepared.

4. Select photos, contacts and other categories

When the category list appears, select Contacts and Camera Photos and Videos. Select albums, files, messages, calendars or other categories you want to import. The amount of selected data affects how much storage the iPhone needs.

If you want to continue using Google Photos or Google Calendar instead of importing those items into Apple’s Photos or Calendar apps, Google’s migration guidance says to clear the Apple Photos or Calendar selections. This is a choice for those categories only; it does not replace the separate WhatsApp steps.

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5. Leave the phones alone until the indicator finishes

  1. Tap Continue on Android to begin preparing the selected data.
  2. Keep both phones connected to power, close together and on the transfer connection. Do not answer calls, open other apps, restart either phone or disconnect a cable.
  3. Wait for the iPhone’s progress indicator to finish before tapping through the rest of setup. The screens do not provide a reliable universal time estimate because the duration depends on the amount and type of data.

6. Finish setup and inspect the imports

Complete the iPhone setup, sign in with your Apple Account, and open Contacts and Photos. Check several recent and older items, albums, portrait or video files, and contacts with phone numbers and email addresses. Keep the Android phone intact while you perform these checks.

Move WhatsApp chats and media from Android to iPhone

WhatsApp’s supported Android-to-iPhone procedure runs through Move to iOS. WhatsApp says to use Move to iOS for this migration; other transfer apps are unsupported and can create problems.

WhatsApp prerequisites

Requirement What must be true
Android version Android 5 (Lollipop/SDK 21) or later
iPhone software iOS 15.5 or later
WhatsApp versions The latest WhatsApp release on Android and iPhone
Phone number The same number must be used on both devices
iPhone state New or factory-reset; WhatsApp must not already be activated on it
Connection Both phones on the same Wi-Fi, or Android connected to the iPhone hotspot
Power Keep both devices connected to power during preparation and transfer

WhatsApp transfer steps

  1. Start the iPhone 17 setup and choose From Android under Transfer Your Apps & Data.
  2. Open Move to iOS on Android, enter the one-time code shown on the iPhone, and join the temporary connection when prompted.
  3. On the Android category screen, select WhatsApp.
  4. Tap Start in WhatsApp on Android. WhatsApp prepares and exports the selected account data.
  5. Return to Move to iOS and tap Continue so the prepared WhatsApp data is transferred with the other selected categories.
  6. Finish iPhone setup, install the latest WhatsApp from the App Store, and open it.
  7. Sign in with the same phone number used on Android. When WhatsApp prompts you to start the import, tap Start.

WhatsApp says the transferred data is not uploaded to cloud storage until you create an iCloud backup. WhatsApp cannot see the transferred data during this process. The Android copy remains on the old phone unless you delete it or wipe that phone.

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What WhatsApp brings over

Included Not included
Account information WhatsApp call history
Profile photo Display name
Individual chats Media received through WhatsApp Channels
Group chats WhatsApp Business chat migration from Android to iPhone
Communities
Channel updates
Chat history, media and settings

After the import, open several one-to-one and group conversations, scroll back through older messages, and open photos, videos, documents and voice notes. Create an iCloud backup in WhatsApp only after you are satisfied that the imported history is present.

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If the iPhone 17 is already set up

Move to iOS and the WhatsApp migration flow are designed for initial setup. They cannot merge an existing iPhone WhatsApp history with the Android history. Activating WhatsApp on the iPhone before the migration can also prevent the supported import prompt from appearing.

Warning: the next step erases the iPhone 17. Back up anything you need from the iPhone before continuing, including photos, messages, files, authenticator codes and device settings.

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  1. On the iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
  2. Follow the prompts to complete the factory reset. Wait for the iPhone to return to the Hello screen.
  3. Begin setup again, choose From Android, and repeat the Move to iOS and WhatsApp procedures above.

Do not erase the Android phone first. If you discover a missing contact, album or chat after the reset and migration, the intact Android copy is your recovery source.

Wireless versus wired transfer

Approach iPhone reset required? WhatsApp history Connection What remains afterward
Move to iOS during setup Yes, the iPhone must be new or factory-reset Supported when the WhatsApp prerequisites are met Same Wi-Fi; Android may use the iPhone hotspot Some apps must be downloaded again and accounts may require new sign-ins
Move to iOS with a USB-C data cable Yes Same supported WhatsApp process Optional USB-C cable that carries data, not charge only Same category and app limitations as the wireless route
Manual cloud or account sync Usually no for contacts or cloud photos Does not replace the supported WhatsApp migration Depends on the service Items may remain in Google services rather than Apple apps

The cable is not a separate WhatsApp migration method. It is simply an optional connection for the Move to iOS transfer, and the same setup and eligibility rules apply.

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Troubleshoot a failed or incomplete transfer

Move to iOS cannot find the iPhone code

  • Confirm that the iPhone is still on the From Android setup screen and that you opened Move to iOS on Android.
  • Restart both phones and retry from the beginning of setup. A code from an earlier attempt is no longer useful.
  • Temporarily disable Android features that automatically switch away from a Wi-Fi network without internet access. The iPhone creates a temporary connection for the transfer.

The connection drops or the progress bar stops

  • Keep both phones plugged in and close together.
  • Do not open another app, answer a call, change networks or lock the Android phone while Move to iOS is preparing data.
  • Restart both devices and repeat the transfer with fewer categories first. You can make a second setup attempt for categories that were not moved, but do not assume a partial WhatsApp import is complete until WhatsApp itself displays the imported chats.
  • Use a known USB-C data cable if wireless interruptions continue. A charge-only cable cannot carry the transfer.

The iPhone reports insufficient storage

Return to the category-selection screen and deselect large videos, duplicate files or categories you do not need locally. Free space on the iPhone before retrying. Do not delete the Android originals until you have another copy and have verified the reduced transfer.

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Contacts appear missing or duplicated

  • Check whether the contact was stored in the Android phone, a SIM card or an online account. Move to iOS transfers the categories it can access from the Android device; account-based contacts may also appear when you add that account on iPhone.
  • Look in the iPhone Contacts app’s lists and accounts before assuming a record was lost.
  • If duplicate records were created, use the Contacts app’s duplicate-merging tools after confirming that the underlying numbers and email addresses match.

Photos are not in Apple Photos

Check the Photos app’s Recently Added, albums and hidden items, and allow the initial library indexing to finish. If you intentionally left Apple Photos unchecked to continue using Google Photos, look in the Google Photos app instead and sign in to the same Google Account.

WhatsApp does not show the import prompt

  • Confirm that the iPhone was new or factory-reset and that WhatsApp was not activated on it before the transfer.
  • Update WhatsApp on both phones, use the same phone number, and verify the Android and iPhone software versions meet the requirements.
  • Repeat the Move to iOS transfer and select WhatsApp. The Android-side Start action in WhatsApp must run before you return to Move to iOS.
  • Do not use an unofficial migration app. WhatsApp does not support those tools for this process.

Some chats or media are absent

Check the list of excluded WhatsApp data: call history, display name and media received through Channels do not transfer. WhatsApp Business chats from Android are also not supported by this migration. For supported personal chats, keep the Android copy and repeat the transfer rather than deleting the source.

Final verification checklist

Before selling, trading in or wiping the Android phone, verify each item on the iPhone 17:

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  • Contacts: search for several names, including records with multiple numbers and email addresses.
  • Photos and videos: open recent and older files, albums, portrait photos and longer videos.
  • Messages: check a few SMS conversations if you selected message history.
  • WhatsApp: open individual chats, groups, communities, media and documents; confirm the account uses the intended phone number.
  • Calendars, files, bookmarks and mail accounts: check each category you selected during setup.
  • Apps: download iOS versions from the App Store and sign in again where necessary.
  • Backups: after checking WhatsApp, create an iCloud backup from WhatsApp and configure the iPhone backup you want to use.

Only after these checks should you remove the Android data. The official Move to iOS route is the documented way to carry WhatsApp history from Android to iPhone; it also gives you the broadest single transfer for photos, contacts and the other categories Apple lists.

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